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Lincoln glances over at me and grabs my hand as calm washes through me. “A photo of Tate’s mom with someone else and a note that says, “you owe me a life”.”

“Shit. Did you see who dropped it off?”

Smith shakes his head, looking annoyed. “No, they were gone by the time we checked the cameras, boss, but I’ll go back and look at the feed beforehand.”

“Good. In the meantime, I think we need to get Tate out of there.”

Lincoln nods. “I agree.”

“Well, I don’t,” I cut in. My house was designed to keep me safe from Dominic King and I tell him that.

“I understand that, Tate, but he knows you’re there and it’s only a matter of time until he gets in. It’s just a house. I want you to come down to the clubhouse.”

The thought of being under the same roof as Blaze right now is not appealing and I shake my head. “I don’t think so.”

He sighs. “Look, I get that I’m not your favorite person but this is the safest option.”

“How is it safe? That will be the next place he looks for me and how the hell are we going to stop him? I’m not running from this man for the rest of my life.”

“No one is suggesting that you do, baby, but the clubhouse is safe,” Lincoln says.

I shake my head. “Nowhere is safe. He’s been following me for who knows how long and I’m sure he knows all the moves I can make before I even make them.”

“Wait, what do you mean he’s been following you?” Blaze asks, an edge in his voice and I sigh before telling him about the note, phone calls, and text messages.

“Goddamn it,” he growls. “Kodiak, this is the kind of shit I needed you to watch out for.”

“Yeah, well, I didn’t find out until last night,” he fires back, giving me some major side-eye and I shrug. Mom always taught me to only depend on myself and that’s not going to change now.

“She’s right,” Smith says, watching me. “If he’s been following her, he knows everywhere she could go hide.”

“We could go to my place,” Lincoln suggests.

I scowl at him. “How is that any better?”

“No, wait, that could work,” Blaze says, ignoring my question as Lincoln turns to me.

“When I bought that property, we used it to house girls we were moving so I have the entire perimeter covered with motion detectors. It’s not much but it will give us a little bit of a head start if he does show up there.”

The squeal of brakes pierces through the silence and I flinch as both men jump up and rush to the windows, guns drawn.

“It’s just a mail truck,” Smith calls and I release a breath as Lincoln turns back to me and we lock eyes. The plea in his gaze wins me over and I sigh as I nod.

“Okay, I’ll go to your house.”

* * * *

Morning sunlight streaks across the room, warming my skin as I stretch and curl up with Lincoln’s pillow. Mist hovers over the lake and I would love to just sit out there for a few hours if I could bring myself to leave this bed. Two big arms wrap around me and pull me into his naked heat. I take a moment to savor the comfort of his touch and his manly scent surrounding me before I jerk away. He growls, pulling me back to him.

“Don’t.”

I roll my eyes. “You, don’t.”

Silence greets me and I scowl as I grab his hand and try to pry him off my body but it’s no use. He’s got an iron lock on me and the only way I’ll get free is to hurt him and I’ve promised to no longer do that. Last night when we arrived at Lincoln’s house, Smith took one of the bedrooms, leaving the other for Lincoln and me. I was ready to just sleep on the couch but he refused – saying it was safer if I slept in a bedroom. After a little arguing, he assured me that he would stay on his side of the king-size bed but clearly, that didn’t happen.

“Let me go, Lincoln,” I order and feel him shake his head against my back as his arms tighten around me again. I smack his forearm. “Can’t…breathe.”

“Just let me pretend for a few more minutes, baby,” he whispers and I sigh as I flop back down on my pillow.